A Phantom & A Ghost
by Trailrider4life
Summary: The Phantom battles a new legendary Appaloosa stallion. Sam has to battle her feelings for Jake. How will it all turn out? Will the Phantom win or lose? Will Sam confess her feelings to the boy that she grew up with? {T just to be safe}
1. Chapter 1

Samantha Forester walked down the dusty path on her bay mustang pony. Ace wanted to jog after the stray calf, but Sam held him back. "Steady, Ace." She used her light hands and strong seat to guide the horse and calf back to the herd of 6 cows and two calves. Sam was all alone with Ace and the little herd. She was trying to get the cows back to Deer Path Ranch, but with 8 cows total and one jumpy mustang, it was kind of difficult. "Ace! Steady now!" Sam gently pulled the reins back and let Ace breathe.

The cows snatched up the lush grass while the bay pony stood quietly in the shade of an oak tree. "Good boy," Sam patted his lathered neck. "Only half a mile more, I'd say." After fifteen minutes of rest, she mounted Ace and rounded her cows back up. She let Ace jog and then the cows picked up their pace. "C'mon, now! Let's get a move on!" The calves bawled after a couple minutes of jogging and Sam let them slow down. After another 20 minutes or so, they made it back to Deer Path. She put the cows is the pasture and untacked Ace.

The mustang sighed as she put her saddle on the ground and sprayed the cool water over his sweaty body. After Ace's thorough cooling off, she walked to the house. Gram had fresh lemonade waiting and Jake was sitting at the table. "Sam! Made it back with all the cattle?" He asked, sipping his lemonade. Samantha nodded and poured her a glass. "Yeah," she said. Jake waited for her to down her glass before saying, "Have you heard about the Appaloosa stallion?" Sam's eyes got wide, and she put her glass down. "What? Appaloosa stallion?" Jake nodded. "Yeah. Fighting with Old Blackie. You know, the Phantom." "Yeah, I know. Have they been spotted together?" Sam asked, worried about her now wild horse. Jake sighed. "Sam, you always have SO many questions. Yes, they have been seen fighting from the top of thread the needle. The old app beat Blackie into the dust. People are claiming the Phantom has finally met his match, And that Ghost is a new legend. But I think it's all talk. No appaloosa stallion. Psshh, no one can beat Blackie."

Sam looked surprised. "Ghost? He already has a name?" She kept it to herself that the Phantom had still been paying her visits, and that last night's visit from him, he had been rather beat up. Jake nodded and put his Stetson back on. His longish hair stuck out, and he walked through the door to finish his work. "Ghost…" Sam whispered. She got up and walked to her bed room, hoping for some rest. She cleaned up a bit then laid down on her bed. Five minutes later, and her dreams were filled with thoughts of the Phantom being hurt by the mystery stallion.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Sam woke up with a startle at two A.M. She had laid on her bed around 7 and slept through half the night. "Great…" she mumbled, standing up. Hearing the horses on the ranch running and neighing, she pulled on her shorts. "Maybe the Phantom is out there." She breathed in a hopeful breath and tiptoed down the stairs. Opening the screen door, the sight of the appaloosa Ghost, made her gasp. "No!" Sam whispered. "No! Not the mares!" She threw a stick at Ghost, and he turned around, smoke blowing from his nostrils.

Sam defied his size and stood right in his path, when he charged her. She squeezed her eyes shut, waving her arms trying to turn him away. There was a scream, a thud, and a sound of teeth clanking. Sam opened her eyes, and no other than the Phantom was staring her in the face. Ghost had fled, and the Phantom had saved her. He was bleeding and cut, but defiance was in his face, as he looked at his girl. "Zanzibar!" Relief flooded Sam as she hugged her horse. He snorted as he laid his head over her shoulder.

"Hey boy. Hey there. Are you all beat up from that mean old Ghost? It's okay now, Zanzibar. I'm here, man," Sam soothed him. He looked at her, nickered, and turned around. She waved a hand and called softly, "Bye, old friend! Until I see you again!" He shook his flowing silver mane, and galloped away, shining platinum in the moonlight. Sam sighed and walked to her room, lying down on her bed. The moon shone through her window, and she saw images of Blackie until she fell asleep once again. "Samantha! Sam! Wake up!" Gram called up the stairs the next morning. "Coming!" Sam yelled, throwing the covers to the side. She pulled on a gray T-Shirt, jeans, and boot socks. "Gram, I'm taking Banjo to thread the needle. Ace needs a break, and there is something I need to do."

Sam grabbed an apple for her and Banjo to half. "Okay, Wyatt is bringing in a paint mare to work with the cows. I will tell 'im where you are," Gram said, stirring the eggs she was scrambling. Sam nodded and said, "Thanks, Gram!" She ate the apple till there was nothing but core left, and whistled to Banjo. He jogged up and she slipped his halter on him, and fed him the apple core. "Good boy." She rubbed the skinny blaze that marked his large head. After quickly saddling up the bay roan gelding, she walked down the road to thread the needle. After about 10 minutes of walking, she jogged the big Quarter horse. He was itching to go, but Sam held him until she came to the hill that led to the "Needle". He galloped up the hill happily, and when they got to the top, he stood stone still. "No… NO!" Sam screamed, seeing the phantom lying stone still in the bottom of the needle. "Zanzibar!" she screamed. "Zanzibar!" Tears rolled down her face, and she pulled out the binoculars she brought with her. The Phantom was bloody and sweaty. He had obviously just got beat in a battle with none other than, Ghost. "Goodbye, boy," Sam whispered. "I love you."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Sam rode down the steep hill, tears staining her face. _Why did he have to go…?_ Banjo picked up the pace at the bottom of the hill, and Sam let her reins go slack. Banjo jogged for a couple of paces then broke off into a controlled lope. Sam was still crying when they cruised in at the ranch, and Jake met them there. "Sam! Sam…?" Jake looked at her worriedly. "What is it?" He swung off the paint mare smoothly and helped her off Banjo.

Sam sucked in a ragged deep breath. "It's The Phantom. He's… he's dead," tears started falling again, and Jake looked around. "Tomorrow at dusk we will go look for him. Be ready." Jake got back on the mare and jogged toward the cow pens. "C'mon Banjo. Let's get you put up," Sam reached down and patted the bay roan. After cooling Banjo out, Sam realized something. _I'm gonna be alone with Jake. ALONE. _A sudden surge ran through her. "Why do I feel this way about him?" Sam whispered to herself.

Walking to see Ace, it hit her. _I have feelings for Jake! _Sam groaned and rolled her neck. "Ace!" Sam called her pony. "Ace!" The bay trotted up in his sassy little mood. "Hey, man. Hey boy. I found out some bad news today. Our old friend, Blackie, is either hurt BAD or dead. So no more wild runs through the woods for us, huh? Chasing the Phantom was always fun with you, Ace." She patted his neck and gave him a kiss before saying, "Bye, Ace! Love you!" As soon as she walked away from Ace, Gram called her. "Samantha Ann Forester, get up here!" she called. "Coming, Gram!" Sam replied, starting to jog. When she got to the house, Gram was waiting. "Hey Gram w-" Gram cut her off. "Jake says Blackie is dead."

Sam's eyes went wide, and she mouthed, _why did you tell her?_ Jake shrugged and walked off. Sam looked at Gram. "I saw him lying still down in the needle. I looked at him with binoculars and still, he didn't seem to be moving. I was hoping maybe me and Jake could-" now it was Jake's turn to stop her in mid-sentence. He walked by and swooped her leg out from under her, causing her to stumble. "Never-mind, Gram." With that, she left the kitchen. After the two of them made it out the door, Sam BLEW UP on Jake. "Why on earth did you do that! I was gonna see if we could see if Blackie was still in the bottoms and…" Sam's voice trailed off and tears started rolling down her face. Visibly agitated, Jake grabbed her arm. When his skin touched her's surges went through every inch of her body. _Stop, Sam. Stop…_ She thought as he drug her behind the barn. "Don't tell Gram we are going looking tonight. She won't let the two of us be alone out there." Jake stuck a finger in the direction of the needle. Sam nodded but then said, "I thought we were going tomorrow night?" Jake sighed.

"Change of plans. I decided tonight was better." Sam just nodded and the tears came again. Jake just sat there awkwardly, then, as if something kicked in, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Sam looked at him, then cried onto his dusty shirt. After a couple pf minutes, Sam went inside to lay down. She soon fell asleep, and woke up just in time to go see Jake getting his truck ready. Sam looked at his rusty blue truck. "That thing have air?" Jake smirked. "Yeah." Sam rolled her eyes and as the sun set, she slid into the passengers seat. They drove in silence to the top of the needle, and Sam looked where she saw him the day before. The Phantom was still on the ground, but Ghost and his herd were crowding around him. The leopard appaloosa had an arrogance that the Phantom never had. He held his head high and proud, and snorted over the Phantom's still body. Sam was so shocked she could hardly speak, and reached over and touched Jake's arm. "Jake…"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Jake looked at Blackie's body. "Sam, I'm going to check it out. Stay here," he said, reaching over and patting her leg. Sam shook her head and said defiantly, "No, Jake. He's my horse. I can go see him."

She started getting put of the truck and Jake rolled his eyes. "Whatever." Jake looked at Sam as she climbed down from the truck. Sam set her jaw at the though of seeing Blackie dead, but knew she had to do it. As they slid more than walked down the needle, Ghost started moving his herd out. Sam looked at the Phantom, and would have bet a million dollars his ears swiveled. _Zanzibar. GET UP! _ As soon as she said that in her head, the silver stallion jumped up. "Blackie!" Sam gasped, running down the hill. Forgetting he was wild, she yelled for her horse. "Sam! Stop!" Jake said quietly, grabbing her arm.

"Walk up gently. We don't wanna scare him. We need to try and doctor him, not scare him blind." Sam realized she was getting that fuzzy feeling again, because his hand was on her arm. Shoving his hand off, she walked down the hill, whispering, "Zanzibar. Hey, Zanzibar." Jake looked at her puzzled. "What did you call him?" he asked. Sam shook her head, while saying, "A name. Just a name." Jake nodded once, and then they had reached the Phantom. "Blaaackie. Hey, old Blackie." Jake held his hand out, and the bloody and battered stallion only sighed.

Sam held her breath as she walked towards the stallion, gently talking. Jake set his first aid kit own and ran a hand over the Phantom's knees and neck. "Sam? Come here. A swollen knee and gash on his neck." Walking slowly in the coming dusk, she reached his head. _Zanzibar…_ She thought sadly. Jake applied liniments, creams, and gels to Blackie, gently talking all the while. After about 10 minutes of doctoring, Jake came from the side of the silver horse. "I've done all I can do for him. Maybe he will heal up. But, we need to get you home, and fast. It's ten o clock." Sam shook her head, and walked away from the Phantom. "Bye, Blackie." She started climbing the needle with Jake trailing behind her silently. After reaching the top, they got in Jake's truck, and rode home in silence. After they got home, Sam crept inside and went to her room. After brushing her teeth and hair, and slipping into PJ's, she drifted off into a deep sleep.


	5. It's done

{I've decided to stop this story. Thanks to all who read.}


End file.
